3,192,016 United States Patent Office Patented June 29, 1965 2 3,192,016 used before for the processing of uranium compounds, XENON HEXAFLUORDE AND METHOD and its pipe lines contained some lower uranium fluorides. OF MAKING After the xenon hexafluoride had been stored in the ap John G. Maim, Naperville, Irving Sheft, Oak Park, paratus for about an hour, all uranium had disappeared Howard H. Claassen, Wheaton, and Cedric L. Chernick, from the pipelines. It had been converted to the volatile River Forest, E., assignors to the United States of uranium hexafluoride by the Xenon hexafluoride. America as represented by the United States Atomic In the following, an example is given to illustrate the Energy Commission No Drawing. Fied Dec. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 245,951 process of producing xenon hexafluoride. 7 Claims. (C. 23-205) O Example This invention deals with xenon hexafluoride, a method of making this novel compound, and it also deals with 5.25 millinoles of xenon and 110 millimoles of fluorine fluorination processes using Xenon hexafluoride. gas were introduced into and sealed in an 87-cc. nickel It has been found that a mixture containing Xenon and container. The gas mixture was heated in this container an excess of fluorine over the amount required for the pro 5 at about 300° C. for 16 hours, whereby a pressure of duction of xenon hexafluoride, when heated in a her about 60 atmospheres built up. After this heating period, metically sealed container, reacts to form xenon hexa the nickel container was cooled to room temperature, fluoride. The invention is based on this finding. immersed in a bath of Dry Ice (-78 C.), and the excess One embodiment of this invention thus is a process fluorine gas was pumped off; finally the product was that comprises heating a mixture of Xenon gas and at 20 sublimed into Dry Ice for the purpose of purification. least 10 moles of fluorine gas per one mole of Xenon in The quantity of xenon hexafluoride was determined and a closed system whereby pressure builds up and the found to represent a yield of about 92%. xenon reacts with the fluorine, forming Xenon hexa In order to ascertain the formula of the colorless com fluoride; and cooling the xenon hexafluoride formed for pound formed in the above example, a weighted fraction solidification. 25 of it was introduced into a container and an excess The xenon hexafluoride has been produced using total amount of hydrogen was added thereto. The container pressures ranging from 10 to 50 atmospheres at reaction was closed and heated to about 400 C, whereby the temperature, the higher pressures within this range giving Xenon compound formed decomposed and free Xenon gas the higher yields. From 10 to 40 moles of fluorine gas and hydrogen fluoride were formed. The container was per one mole of Xenon has given satisfactory results, a 30 then immersed in liquid nitrogen, and the excess hydrogen ratio of from 15 to 20 moles being preferred. The re was pumped off. action times have varied from one hour to 17 hours. The container was slowly warmed to room temperature, The temperature may range from 200 to 400 C., about and the remaining gas mixture was pumped through two 300° C. being the preferred condition. The higher tem U-tubes. The first U-tube was cooled by a bath of iso peratures within the specified range bring about a faster 35 pentane held at its melting point (-159 C.), and the reaction. In all experiments that were carried out for the hydrogen fluoride was condensed in this trap. The sec purpose of this invention, the yield of Xenon hexafluoride ond U-tube was cooled by liquid nitrogen, and the xenon was above 90% as to the amount of Xenon used. was condensed therein. The hydrogen fluoride was Xenon hexafluoride is a colorless solid that is stable weighed and hydrolyzed in a known quantity of sodium at room temperature. It has a vapor pressure of 7.5 mm. 40 hydroxide solution and determined both by back-titration Hg at 0° C. and of 30 mm. Hg at 25 C.; the vapor is pale and fluoride analysis of the solution. The condensed yellow. Xenon hexafluoride, when slowly heated, turns Xenon was also weighed and then checked for purity with yellow at about 42° C. and melts at 46 C., forming a yel a mass spectrometer. The data will be given below. low liquid. When this liquid is resolidified, the yellow Samples of Xenon hexafluoride obtained from two color disappears. Xenon hexafluoride vapor attacks 45 Separate runs were thus analyzed, one using 0.3934 gram glass and thereby reacts to form a colorless liquid; the and the other one 0.2256 gram of xenon hexafluoride. Xenon compound formed thereby has not yet been identi The respective xenon contents were determined as 0.2125 fied. gram and 0.1195 gram, while the corresponding fluorine Xenon hexafluoride is very soluble in anhydrous hy contents were found to be 0.1770 gram and 0.0996 gram. drogen fluoride and to a greater degree than is xenon 50 These represent atom ratios for F:Xe of 5.79 and 5.76, tetrafluoride; this dissolution takes place without a re respectively. The xenon was found to be of a 100-per action. Four grams only of xenon tetrafluoride are sol cent purity. uble in 100 grams of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride at The formula of the samples was confirmed radiochem 25 C.; xenon hexafluoride is soluble in an amount of ically using Xel38 and F18 as tracers. The ratio of 6 for above 70 grams per 100 grams of anhydrous hydrogen 55 F:Xe was confirmed by this. fluoride at the same temperature. Xenon hexafluoride It will be understood that the invention is not to be reacts violently at room temperature with hydrogen and limited to the details given herein but that it may be with water. Xenon hexafluoride can be used as a flu modified within the scope of the appended claims. orinating agent for inorganic as well as organic com What is claimed is: pounds; it fluorinates many materials at room tempera 60 1. A process of preparing Xenon hexafluoride, com ture that do not react with elemental fluorine under the prising heating Xenon gas and at least 10 moles of fluorine same conditions. gas per one mole of Xenon in a closed system to between The reactivity of xenon hexafluoride at room tempera 200 and 400 C., whereby pressure builds up and the ture is obvious from the following observation: An ap Xenon reacts with the fluorine, forming xenon hexaflu paratus was used for the storage, at room temperature, of 65 oride; and cooling the Xenon hexafluoride formed to room 200 mg. of xenon hexafluoride; the apparatus had been temperature for solidification. 3,192,016 3. 4. 2. The process of claim wherein 10 to 40 moles of than the hexafluoride to the hexafluoride comprising the fluorine are used per one mole of Xenon and a pressure of step of contacting said lower fluorides with xenon hexa from 10 to 50 atmospheres is maintained. fluoride at room temperature. 3. The process of claim 2 wherein from 15 to 20 moles References Cited by the Examiner of fluorine are used per mole of xenon. 4. The process of claim wherein the mixture is heated Chemical Society Proceedings, June 1962, page 218. to a temperature of about 300° C. Cook, "Argon, Helium and the Rare Gases, page 159, 5. As a new composition of matter, Xenon hexafluoride, vol. I, copyrighted October 5, 1961. XeFes. Mellor, "Comprehensive Treatise on Inorganic and 6. A new fluorinating agent consisting of hexafluoride. 0 Theoretical Chemistry,” Supp. II, part 1 (1956), page 65. 7. A method of converting uranium fuorides lower MAURICE A. BRINDISI, Primary Examiner. .